The Taken star was left grief-stricken when his wife of 15 years passed away after suffering a traumatic brain injury in a skiing accident in 2009, and to help numb the pain, Neeson turned to alcohol for comfort.

The actor admits his intake became excessive, and could easily drink three bottles of wine a night, so he decided to make a major life change, telling America's GQ magazine, " I gave up drinking about a year ago... I was drinking too much. It started since my wife died. It was like, so easy to just... Never at work, never would do it like that, but this time of night?... I'd be on my second bottle. Before we finished, I would have been halfway down a third - and be totally fine! Pinot Noir: That's all I drink. I was never into spirits or liquor, hard liquor. And I gave up the Guinness years ago, because it just - past an age, it sticks to you..."

Neeson admits the change was partly inspired by his revived Hollywood career, and he now feels better able to tackle roles in action movies, adding, "So last year, I just thought - they've been throwing these action movies at me, and I thought, 'Ok, let's just change it a little bit', and it's been great. I love it."